What Is Love?
by slefanitsa
Summary: AU. Ulquiorra, a thirteen year-old girl who never has even a single friend falls in love? Does she even understand the meaning of love? Who is the lucky boy who gets her love? Love is an indescribable feeling!


_Author's Note: An AU fan fiction of pairing Shirosaki x fem!Ulquiorra from Bleach. This fan fiction contains a very shippy material. If you dislike the pairing, please do not read. You've been warned, please stay civilized._

_Characters: Ulquiorra Cifer, Shirosaki Hichigo_

_Rating: K+_

* * *

WHAT IS LOVE?

* * *

The first day of school, Ulquiorra put her bag on her desk. Her cold demeanor made her became one of those who didn't have a lot of friends in her school. But however, she still had something in adventage; she was smart and she was a prefect. Not caring of her friends who made some messes in the class, she took out her book and read it silently. _Things were always this boring_, she thought. Nothing could really impress the prefect girl.

But today probably things would be different. Her eyes suddenly gazed up at the pale boy who casually sat down on her desk, smirking as if he was going to mess with her—well, he was really going to mess with her.

"What a thirteen year old girl like you would read huh? A porn?" The silvery-haired boy reached at the book she read and quickly scanned through the page she read.

"Give it back to me." She said coldly, her eyebrows were frowned. She was really annoyed at the boy who took her book. "Stop messing with me or else, you will have more detention, Shirosaki."

"Aww~ I'm so scared Ulqui~ hahahahahahah!" He jumped down from her desk and left the girl who stared at him.

Those green emerald orbs... stared at the pale boy with hatred. "I hate repeating myself, Shirosaki. Now give it back to me before I lose my patience against you." She spoke again, but her tone was still as monotonous as usual. She stood up from her seat and walked toward the silvery-haired boy.

"Ah, Ulqui-chan~ please don't do something harsh to me..." A mocking tone escaped the pale boy's lips as he walked a little faster outside the class.

The two of them barely talked to each other to begin with. Students in their class even doubted that Ulquiorra did know Shirosaki. But in fact, she _knew_ him. Whether she realized or not, she happened to pay attention at the silvery-haired boy once or twice whenever they were in class. She was amused at how the boy acted in front of others. Whether their friends liked or hated him, she believed he was a person who would make friends with anyone.

He was like the opposite of her. He knew how to make friends while she tried to keep away from her friends, he knew how to have fun while she could only frowned whenever her friends tell a joke to her. He was somehow beyond her imagination...

"Ahahah are ya tired, Ulqui? Want me to give ya a piggy back riding?" Shirosaki stopped at the stairs, watching at the girl who's running toward him.

"_As if_." Ulquiorra sniffed, but she almost lost her breath. She had to stop. He was just trying to make fun of her, just like what he usually did to the other students. She just had to turn around and leave him alone. Just let him have her book and _leave him now_. "Do whatever you want, Shirosaki." She turned around, tossing her black hair as she gave him her back.

"Pffft... you mad, _young lady_?" Another mocking tone. Shirosaki climbed up the stairs and walked behind the raven haired girl, a smirk never left his lips. Surely he was having fun messing with the prefect. Well, nobody was dare to do so because she could at anytime decide who deserved to get the detention, and nobody would like to spend their time to stay at school until late.

"Oi are ya listen t'me, _prefect_ girl?" He ran behind her.

Ulquiorra returned to the classroom, ignoring the boy who tailed her with expectation to bother her. But seemingly it did not work. She sat down on her seat and glanced at him once more before returning her cold gaze to her desk.

"Tch, what the f*ck with you huh?" Shirosaki furrowed his eyebrows as he sat before the girl, returning her book without apologizing. Sure, what would you expect from a boy like him? He would not say sorry for _having fun_.

"Can you stop bothering me? I can report you to the principal for making a huge mess with me."

"Hahahahahah! Huge mess, ya said? Dude, I'm just borrowing yer book, not that I want to throw it outside the window or somethin' ya know... Besides, I'm returning it now." He pushed the book closer to the girl's hands and smirked. "Nah, don't be mad 'kay... I don't wanna waste my time for a sh*t like detention. _Saa_... let's be friends?"

At his last words, Ulquiorra opened her mouth slightly. She was taken aback by his offer. He asked her to be friends? Perhaps it was the first time in her life that there was someone who would 'gladly' to be friends with her. She was aloof, indifferent at everyone. She even never showed a slight smile at her friends. Nobody wanted to be her friend.

But he was different. Ulquiorra was sure she did not misheard his words. Now that the boy's hand was stretched forward at her, she was left speechless. She did not know how to react. Maybe she would rather say an insulting words and push him away, but of course she would made him mad. He was not trying to make fun of her right? He was trying to be friends with her and there was nothing wrong with having friend even if it was only one.

So Ulquiorra, reluctantly stretched her hand forward to welcome his hand. "_Hai_."

"Good girl. Ah well... I'll see ya later at lunch. I gotta do my homework now, ahahahah! Sorry... I'm a lazy boy, yeah I know. _Jaa_!"

* * *

"_OHAYOU_ ULQUIORRAAAAAAAA!"

The girl narrowed her eyes dangerously at the boy who stood up in front of her house. It had already three weeks since they became friends. But her attitude at him was unchanging. She was still cold and indifferent, not even trying to have a conversation with him if he didn't talk to her first. And today, as usual, they were going to go to school together.

"Ohayou." She said coldly.

"How's yer sleep last night? Ah wanna go to the amusement park with me this weekend? I wanna see a lot of things! And there are a lot of sweets and also—"

"No, thank you." She cut his words and kept walking before the boy. She did not like sweets. She did not like amusement park. Besides, she had a lot of things to do in weekend and they were a lot more important than spending—no, _wasting_ her time with the silvery-haired boy.

"_Sh*t_. C'mon... Just one time, 'kay?"

"I said no. You can ask another friend to go with you, can you not? You have a lot of friends."

"Pffftt... do not want. I wanna show you the amusement park. I bet ya ever visited one."

"Indeed. I never visited one. And I will _never_. What a waste of time."

Shirosaki pouted his lips and casually twisted an arm around the petite girl's shoulders. "You never see it so you don't know how amazing it is! So let's go, 'kay. I'll pick you up on Saturday~"

"Do not decide everything on your own, Shirosaki. And if you do not mind, have your hand off of me."

Shirosaki pulled his hand back and sighed. He knew it would be difficult to convince her that it was necessary even for a girl like her to just relax. He had paid attention at her since the first time they entered the school and he knew she seemed to be a serious girl who did not understand how to have fun with her friends. Wait—she seemed to have no friends at all. Yes, Shirosaki noticed that besides himself, Ulquirra was never seen to mingle with other students.

"What is it in your head?" He raised her thick eyebrows at the boy, being curious at his silence.

"Ah... nothing... so, I'll pick you up 'kay... be sure to dress yerself nicely~ _saa, jaa na_!"

* * *

The petite girl furrowed her eyebrows and gritted her teeth. She did not like someone who decided things on their own—more over if it's related to her. _How annoying_. But she could no nothing since he was such a persistent boy. And she did not want to insult him by rejecting him again—and again. Well, guess she had to go with him for the weekend.

"Hmph. What should I wear..." Ulquiorra stared blankly at her closet—was almost frustrated since she never went to a particular place with her friends. And today, a sudden chance forced her to go with someone, a _boy_.

She stared at the black dress, but it did not seem to fit in the situation. So she moved to the white plain shirt and a red skirt. But she did not think she would look fine wearing such a short skirt. Another choice was a yellow shirt and a jeans, she shook her head and thought Shirosaki wouldn't like her to wear such a style.

"Hn. Why would I care of what I wear?" She grumbled and took her short pants and a purple tee. "I do not care." She finally chose to wear that casual style, not forgetting to put her white cardigan on. She would not care what he said later when they met. She had tried her best not to disappoint him.

When the clock showed at 10 in the morning, Ulquiorra waited in front of her house. She didn't know why she was nervous. She reminded herself many times that she didn't have to feel nervous because it was only... they were only...

"Ugh." She felt her stomach was full every time she thought that Shirosaki 'purposely' asked her to go with him for a date. No, it was not a date.

"_It was not a date—_"

"Aww... such a lovely girl~" Shirosaki suddenly appeared in front of the hedge. "Now, let's go? You're ready aren't you?"

"Mhm." She simply nodded at him.

The amusement park—as its name appeared—was such an amusing place. There was a roller-coaster (she really wanted to ride it but somehow she didn't want to say it to Shirosaki) and there were a lot of kids around. Ulquiorra stayed close to the pale boy as they walked through the crowd. She didn't want to get lost in the middle of those people. Unconsciously, she tugged her fingers on the fabric of Shirosaki's jacket, staying close securely.

"Are ya scared, Ulqui-chan?" A smirk was drawn on the silvery-haired boy's lips. He was amused at how the petite girl securely stayed close at him.

"No." She said shortly, but still she did not let go of her clutch at his jacket.

"So, would ya mind to let go of my jacket because it's really uncomfortable ya know..." He pouted at her.

"No. I do not want—"

Shirosaki forced her fingers to let go of his jacket, and then he held her hand tightly as he smiled at the girl. "_Saa_... I won't let ya go, Ulqui. Don't be afraid _ne_?"

_What_. Ulquiorra blushed faintly when she saw the smile he gave to her. It was... the first time she saw that genuine smile from this boy. Sudden warmth she felt when he held her close to him was unexpectedly startling. _What is this feeling..._ She began to realize that what she felt was something 'wrong'. No, she should not fall in love to this boy.

"Stop it, I can walk by myself." She tried to let go of his hand but he refused to let her go.

"I told ya I won't let go of ya, Ulqui-chan... Ya know, it's my duty to keep ya safe because I'm the one who asked you to go with me. Tch... what's your parents will say to me if yer being hurt eh? The loss is in me, ya know... So don't refuse my kindness..."

At first, she really wanted to toss his hand away, but then she sighed and nodded. "_Hai_... Shirosaki."

That warmth... from a single smile he offered to her was magnificently astonishing. She felt secure, she felt comfortable when he spoke to her. It was as if the world was only belonged to both of them, and nobody exists in their surroundings. The petite girl looked at the boy silently as he babblered about something she did not even listen.

"... sweets over there—" He paused. "Are ya listening to me?" Shirosaki raised one of his eyebrows. "Oi, Ulqui-chaaaaaaaaaan?"

"Huh?" She was taken aback when he suddenly yelled closely at her ear. "Uh... yeah?"

"Pffftt... You didn't listen to meeeee!" He growled, acting as if he was being frustrated. "Ah 'kay... I wanna buy some sweets over there, you wait here, 'kay?"

"Uh, no. I go with you." She pulled his hand. She did not want him to leave her alone. "Do not leave me."

"Hm?" Shirosaki faced her and smiled at her once again. It was the first time she asked him to do something for her, right? He would like to do whatever she wanted then.

"I mean, you have a duty to protect me, do you not?"

"Sure... Yeah, hahahah... okay... yeah, Let's go buy some sweets then..."

"I do not like sweets." She murmured.

"Hm?"

"_Ne_, Shirosaki, _what is love_?"

"Huh? What?" Shirosaki widened his eyes at the question. They're just thirteen years old and she asked him about love? He had no idea at all, but... he could simply say that actually... "Uh well, I don't know either... It's a difficult question, Ulquiorra..." He scratched his head and laughed nervously. "But... uh... how can I say it?"

"Say what?" Ulquiorra asked him curiously, but her monotonous tone was seemed to be her default.

"Uh well... I... _like_ you."

Ulquiorra could not help but blushed even deeper when the boy confessed at her. Was it love? What did this thing called love mean? Was it possible for her to feel something called love?

"Uh... yeah, I... _I love you, Ulqui-chan_."

"I—I do not know..."

_Whether I love you or not,_

_This indescribable feeling I feel whenever around you,_

_I believe this is something special,_

_Between you,_

_And me..._


End file.
